nelder grove

This is a wonderful peaceful place to be in the shadow of the Giant Sequoias without travelling into Yosemite. The road there is a pleasant wooded drive, but take your time as it's not paved all the way. There are several loops in the trail so you can shorten or lengthen your walk.I'm a local, and in the summer don't wan to deal with the crowds in Yosemite. This is the palce to go to get away from it all and soak up Sequoia.

Check out the campground with models of a two-pole chute & tramway used in the log fluming days. Beautiful trees & nature worth the bumpy, windy drive.

Nelder Grove is a grove of Sequoia trees in Madera County north of Oakhurst and before the entrance to Yosemite. To get there from Highway 41 take the Sierra Sky Ranch road (road 632) for several miles. When you turn off that main road you will be on a gravel road for maybe 3 miles. You then want to go to the Shadow of the Giants trail which is about a one hour loop walking trail. It is very well marked having plaques giving a lot of good information not only about the Sequoias but also other varieties of trees, etc. it was not a strenuous trail and quite enjoyable. At the beginning of the trail there are men and women's restrooms. For a different experience and if you want to avoid crowds I would suggest this nice experience.

This is an absolute gem. After hiking in Yosemite this was literally a breath of fresh air. Don't be put off by people who write about bad roads. It was easy--we made the trip in a minivan with absolutely no problems. The directions on Yosemite National Park's website are perfectly clear and if you follow them, you will not get lost. We found the grove easily. We were there on a Monday morning and there was NO ONE there! How lovely! The trail is easy and level, the trees phenomenal. If you want to escape the crowds and have a leisurely stroll, this is the place to be. An additional bonus is the frequency of little signs telling you all about what you are seeing and what has happened to the sequoias. I can't say enough about this place if you want to enjoy this part of California without tripping over people.

Forever driving up a curvy road, and was a wonderful hike. Shaded and we never saw another person except some firefighters that were in the area working (which was really cool). Relatively easy hike.

After the bustle of the National Park this place was a breathe of fresh air and we saw some good wildlife too. Very good find.

This grove is spectacular because of it's setting. It's secluded and requires some effort to get to. The last km or so is on a dirt road, but is in pretty good shape. Just take it slow. The trail itself starts out slow, but then BANG, amazing trees one after the other. This was one of the highlights of our trip and you will be rewarded with no crowds or touristy feeling if you go to this grove. This is how you should view these magnificent creatures. The trail is easy to trek and if you like nature, you'll be glad you came, guaranteed. I hope this place stays unspoiled for many, many more to enjoy as we did.

An excellent way to see the giant sequoias without hoards of people. It's so peaceful and quiet, I think we saw two other people while we were there. There is a little trail round the grove with excellent information boards. Take goos shoes and water and just enjoy the tranquility.

We followed the directions I found on TA and really had no problem finding the place but then I used to going into National Forests and I can see how some people might not like the trip in. The loop trail was a wonderful walk. I recommend boots and bring water. We loved the whole experience.

If you like quiet and away from the crowds in Yosemite, Nelder Grove is the place to go. We only saw five people today in three hours, just wonderful. Keep it our secret, though!

Nelder Grove is an excellent location to see Sequoia's!!! Most tourist do not go here because you take a dirt road to the location. The road is in good shape and most vehicles we get to the grove with no problem,The hiking trail is a total of 1 mile and easy to walk. You get up close and personal with the large trees. We did not run into anybody until we returned to the trail head. THIS IS ONE PLACE YOU HAVE TO VISIT!!!!!!!!!

I am sure that Nelder Grove is beautiful, but we had difficulty finding it. We wandered around on dirt roads that are horribly maintained and found not much. We saw the campground and ended up on what was probably an ATV trail. One of us had to get out and help the two drivers negotiate the turn around to get the vehicles out. We stopped looking for big trees and headed back to town. When we get back to L.A., we will have to get the car undercarriages checked out because some of the ruts in the roads were so big. Nelder Grove is probably more suitable for back country enthusiasts, primitive campers and people with four wheel drive than those of us from the city with economy cars.

Having been to the Mariposa Grove more times than I can count, we were excited to find Nelder Grove this year. It is fantastic. No people. Just a beautiful little hike among the giants. It is an easy trail. My mother who is in her 80s could do the hike with no problem. (Grant it she is in very good shape for her age.)We will be back. My only fear is others will discover it.

We had the grove to ourselves! We enjoyed a few hours of complete tranquility, met one dog walker briefly, saw plenty of wildlife and absolutely loved this place. It's not easy to get to once you leave the made up roads it's best to have a 4x4.

My family and I enjoyed this easy hike among the Sequoias. It does take some time to get there. Follow Rd 632 off of CA 41 and follow the signs to Nelder Grove. There will be a sign that says Nelder Grove left (arrow). Take that road and it it quickly turns into a dirt road. Follow the dirt road. At the first fork stay left even though the sign says Nelder Grove Right. To the right is Nelder Grove Campground. Nelder Grove/Shadows of the Giants is to the left. Follow that road and at the next fork go up the steep short hill. You'll see the bathrooms on the right hand side. Park and you'll see the trail head behind the bathrooms. Follow the trail loop. The trail is easy to follow. You will cross the creek twice. The second crossing is pretty much the end of the loop.